Why was Chinatown in San Francisco created?

History of San Francisco's Chinatown. After the 1906 earthquake destroyed the city, plans to rebuild didn't include a place for Chinese immigrants. Faced with the prospect of resettling to Oakland, Look Tin Eli employed white architects to create an even grander Chinatown. Contents. read more

San Francisco's Chinatown was the port of entry for early Chinese immigrants from the Guangdong province of southern China from the 1850s to the 1900s. The area was the only region deeded by the city government and private property owners which allowed Chinese persons to inherit and inhabit dwellings within the city. read more

In this familiar neighborhood the immigrants found the security and solidarity to survive the racial and economic oppression of greater San Francisco. Return to the Chinatown Resource Guide Table of Contents. EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE DESTROY CHINATOWN. On April 18, 1906, San Francisco was devastated by a huge earthquake. read more

According to the San Francisco Planning Department, Chinatown is "the most densely populated urban area west of Manhattan", with 15,000 residents living in 20 square blocks. In the 1970s, the population density in Chinatown was seven times the San Francisco average. The estimated total population in the 2000 Census was at 100,574 residents. read more